Written by Michael Palomba
County Supervisors Kristin Gaspar and Jim Desmond, along with Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister have been fighting to allow an extension for property tax payments.
The problem is that local officials don’t have the power to do this. An executive order to amend the California Revenue and Tax Code or action by the State Legislature is needed in order to achieve this relief.
Supervisor Gaspar tweeted out a copy of a letter she, Desmond, and McAllister recently sent to Governor Gavin Newsom. In it they cite the “extraordinary circumstances and emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic” and request “an executive order to allow for a 60-day extension of the deadline for property tax payments…or to provide a 60-day grace period.” The 60-day grace period would allow the Treasurer-Tax Collector to cancel penalties and costs resulting from coronavirus-related transactions.
Not giving up! Just sent this letter to Gov Newsom requesting an exec order allowing a 60-day deadline extension for property tax payments or 60-day grace period canceling late fees/other charges. Thank you @jim_desmond County Tax Collector Dan McAllister for your help with this. pic.twitter.com/jHugayeKEJ
— Kristin Gaspar (@KristinDGaspar) March 27, 2020
The jobs report revealed that over 3.3 million unemployment claims were filed last week across the country. People across the nation are going to have problems paying bills, at least for the time being. That is why legislation like this is so badly needed right now.
The San Diego City Council recently passed a moratorium on evictions, as did the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, the San Marcos City Council, and a number of other bodies. These measures combined with an extension of the property tax deadline would certainly provide a lot of desperately needed relief to struggling individuals and families.
